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Review
. 2024 May;67(5):865-878.
doi: 10.1007/s11427-023-2353-0. Epub 2023 Jul 27.

Bile acid signaling in the regulation of whole body metabolic and immunological homeostasis

Wei Jia  1 , Yitao Li  2 , Kenneth C P Cheung  2 , Xiaojiao Zheng  3
Affiliations
Review

Bile acid signaling in the regulation of whole body metabolic and immunological homeostasis

Wei Jia et al. Sci China Life Sci. 2024 May.

Abstract

Bile acids (BAs) play a crucial role in nutrient absorption and act as key regulators of lipid and glucose metabolism and immune homeostasis. Through the enterohepatic circulation, BAs are synthesized, metabolized, and reabsorbed, with a portion entering the vascular circulation and distributing systemically. This allows BAs to interact with receptors in all major organs, leading to organ-organ interactions that regulate both local and global metabolic processes, as well as the immune system. This review focuses on the whole-body effects of BA-mediated metabolic and immunological regulation, including in the brain, heart, liver, intestine, eyes, skin, adipose tissue, and muscle. Targeting BA synthesis and receptor signaling is a promising strategy for the development of novel therapies for various diseases throughout the body.

Keywords: bile acid; immunity; metabolism; whole body.

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